July 31, 2010

Asheville, North Carolina: Pack Square Development in Postcards

I've collected several postcards showing the development of Pack Square from 1880-1950 or so. For six years my store was located about 200 feet north of the obelisk, so I felt some attachment to the place, and collected a number of different images showing its development. Postcards are easier to find, less expensive (by leaps and bounds than original photos and such) to purchase, and actually add up to something in a short time. So I post them here for my Asheville friends and readers--the images might actually be useful and interesting to an Ashevillean.

Pack
Square at night, ready for the holidays, view looking east, ca. 1910.
An interesting site dealing with the history of Pack Square and its
renovation is here.

Busy day at Pack Square ca. 1920, looking west.

Pack Square in an unusual due-south view (taken from the north side of teh square), getting ready for the holidays, ca. 1910.

Busy Pack Square looking west with the smaller and better-designed fountain, ca. 1915-1920.

Pack Square with trolleys, ca. 1910.

Pack
Square featuring the then-new BBT building looking west; the IM Pei
building has not yet replaced the far-more interesting buildings on the
north side of the square. Image ca. 1965.

Pack Square, with the usual stiff wind, looking east, ca. 1920.

Pack Square, less pretty, ca. 1960.

Pack Square buzzing, view looking east, ca. 1910.

Pack Square with trolleys, ca. 1905. View looking towards the east, with Biltmore Avenue on the right (south).

Panoramic view of Pack Square, with Patton Avenue and Biltmore on the left, ca. 1910.

Comments

Ooooh! I really like looking at the early 'at night' images. I have one of Old Faithful Inn that just really starts me up every time I see. It's done with snow and a full moon and the snow actually looks like it's glowing.